MARRIAGE AS A SAFETY NET Stigmatization is being reproduced at the family level, with women encouraging their female family members to get married quickly in order to cope better with statelessness. A smaller minority goes even further by encouraging underage marriage. • A majority of stateless respondents (55%) would encourage their sisters, daughters or granddaughters to get married to non-stateless men as a way out of their daily struggles. These answers are balanced along gender lines (53% female and 47% male). • For those respondents, marriage is seen as a way to attain a support system, with the expanded family creating a sense of safety and protection. It can act as an alternative coping mechanism to address statelessness. Fig 40. “ Yes, I encourage my female siblings to get married to improve their situation today” 47 % of stateless encourage their daughters and sisters to get married to a non-stateless man to improve her condition 16.50% 82% Yes • In this respect, regardless of law, ethics or basic rights, women are essentially deprived due to their condition. 55% Fig 41. “And if she was underage?” 53 % Female No • Yet, a crushing majority (82%) reject the idea of underage marriage to alleviate statelessness conditions. Male • Only 17% of stateless would recommend marriage for their underaged daughters and/or sisters -an opinion that was expressed in equal ratios among men and women. © 2021 Siren Associates. All Rights Reserved